Marshmallow/Story
I. A Sweet World This world is a sweet one. Some people have told me before that if anything can make a person happy, it’s considered sweet, even if those things aren’t candy. In this world, the honey secreted by flowers isn’t the only sweet thing. Even the stream trickling down the mountain, the singing of a bird perched on a tree branch, and the butterflies dancing with me are all sweet things. The same can be said for my candy house. Just like those fairytale stories, I hid my candy house deep in the forest. Everyday, I would play with a bear that stumbled into my candy house in the morning. In the afternoon, I would fall asleep under a tree with a bunch of squirrels. At night, I would use the water from the stream to wash some wild fruits. I live a relaxing and lively life, free of worries. But after a while, I'm starting to feel unsatisfied from playing with those little critters day in and day out. "If only all of you could speak, we could play more games." Sitting beneath the trees, I shook my legs as I looked at a squirrel busily carry some nuts. It doesn't look free at any moment. Sometimes, it would stop and look back at me, making sounds to "reply" to me. "Mr. Squirrel, you've been busy the whole day. Can you still not play with Marshmallow?" I looked at that squirrel, upset, and reached a hand to poke his furry ears. Suddenly, it got alerted. It turned its body, shocking me. I immediately put my palms together and apologized. "It f-found out? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to secretly hurt you. Eh? Where are you going?" The alerted squirrel stood up. After twitching its ears, it lifted its paws, spread out its wings like a dragon, and flew down the tree. Is Mr. Squirrel upset at me? Anxious, I followed Mr. Squirrel as I thought about how to apologize to it. However, I didn't notice the rustling coming from the bushes. As a result, I crashed into a youth, who suddenly emerged from the tree, and fell down from the impact. When I realized Mr. Squirrel scurried off from a stranger’s presence, it was already too late. II. Promise "So, you just came here because you’re looking for an herb that only grows in the forest?" "Oh.......Yep!" "Don't eat so fast, this kind of sweet can stick to your teeth. Eat slowly and eat more fruits!" I supported my head as I analyzed the youth, taller than me by a smidgen. I pushed the wild fruits toward him. He devoured the wild fruits and sweets like a little beast, who’d been starving for quite a long time. Actually, he really has been starving for quite a long time. He said that he just came here because he's searching for an herb that can cure his mother's illness. Having never entered the forest before, he became lost not too long ago. Staying in the forest at night is dangerous when unprepared, but he was lucky to survive the first night. Yet, he didn’t want to go through the second night. Freezing and famished, he came upon my candy house and met me. "I’ve never seen this herb you speak of. But, if you're willing to stay and play with me, I'll go to the deeper parts of the forest to find it." "Really? Thank you! However.......I can't stay here for too long 'cause I need to bring home the herb......." "In that case, stay and play with me till I've discovered it!" "Alright! Thanks!" The surprised youth tightly gripped my hand with his own, already stained with the red juices of the fruits. However, I didn't feel disgusted by him and instead, I smiled and patted his shoulder. "You'll be safe here! Marshmallow's candy house is the safest area in the forest." "Wow, Marshmallow is amazing!" "Hehe, that's because I'm a Food Soul. After you finish everything, let me bring you to your room." "Alright." As we walked, the youth constantly marveled at the candy house. I puffed up my chest and proudly introduced to him my greatest creation. The candy house is the world's sweetest and safest place. Here, there's no danger or troubles whatsoever. This was a sweet dream weaved together by Master Attendant and I when he was young. I hope that this place will become his dream. III. Happy Times After that youth came, the candy house was filled with even more excitement. During dawn, the little bear stumbled into my candy house once again and collided into the boy, who just woke up. Eye to eye, the duo looked at each other momentarily. Afterwards, they each rushed towards me, almost as if they just reacted. "AWAWAWAW!!!" "Marshmallow! It's dangerous, get out of here!" I didn’t listen to the boy’s words, because I knew that the little bear smelled the whiff of honey, and was scared that the boy would steal its honey before it even had the chance to eat it. I took out a can of honey with my back straight, and placed the can in the little bear's paws. I tilted my head and winked at him. "Do you want to know the ultimate bear taming technique?" "Ha......Ha ha.......I’d rather not." "Come and try, it's rather interesting~" "I-it's too dangerous!" "Nope. Mr. Little Bear is very friendly! It’s never hurt me before!" "AWAW!" At the beginning of a few days, we were playing everyday. Finally, there's someone who can play different games with me, just as I wanted. Every moment, I'm absolutely delighted. When we're hungry, we’d collect some wild fruits and almonds and feast on the many sweets and snacks. When we're thirsty, we would gulp down the sweet water from the stream. Of course, we weren't the only people playing. Sometimes, little animals would join too. We already forgot why the boy came here in the first place, already sunken into this sweet dream. Unfortunately, not everyone could continue weaving this dream. In just a matter of days, the boy cried and spoke to me. "Marshmallow, I miss my mother. I've.......I've played for too long. When can we search for the herb?" I cupped his face and gently wiped away his tears. "In these few days, Marshmallow was very happy when I played with you. Thank you~" "Tomorrow, tomorrow is the day I'll set out." "The deeper sections of the forest are very dangerous. Stay inside the candy house and wait for me. Don't worry, I'll find it~" IV. Herb Searching To ensure the boy stays safe, I let him stay in the house. I went off on my own to fulfill the promise I made to him. I've lived in the forest for years, but I keep my activities near the candy house. I’ve never explored the deeper parts of the forest. To be fair, I can't say I'm very familiar with this forest. But one thing for sure, I know a place where the herb the boy spoke of could be. What the boy seeks is a ghostly blue flower, from the way he described the flower, with a breathtaking azure color. It can only be found in a certain area of the forest. Deep within the forest, there exists a place where the sky is covered by dense and intricate tree branches. In this place of no sunlight, rays of luminous, ghostly blue light can be found flowing below the tree's branches. These radiant rays of light accumulate in the air. If someone looked up, they’ll be greeted by a mysterious new world. Such beauty. Even if there’s a sudden downpour during the wet season, they won’t vanish. If it weren’t for an accident, I would’ve never discovered that this breathtaking glow was emitted by a certain creature. It secretes a liquid that shimmers with a beautiful glimmer, which freezes and lingers in the sky. This confuses any bird that stumbles into this place. These birds don’t know that behind these splendid rays of light, lies a web that will drag them into the arms of death. My guess was right. This really is the herb that boy spoke of. Unfortunately, this flower grows on vines that coil near the top of the tree trunk, next to the web. I can pick the flower, but I can't guarantee that I won’t have to face the creature cloaked in darkness. "Oh...so risky. Marshmallow doesn't want to get hurt from fighting...." Beneath the tree, I twirled my fingers as I hesitantly bit my lower lip. Slowly, I looked behind to see the path where I came from. I took a step backward and walked forward two steps. Still unsure, I've already reached the tree, glimmering with a ghostly blue light. I looked up at the flower on top of the tree and slowly clenched my fists. He played with me and I would find the herb. This is our promise, and I can't go back on my word. I must bring it home! V. Marshmallow Marshmallow is a girl of her words. Her Master Attendant became horribly burned due to a large fire, and could only spend his days lying in a bed. Before he died, he told Marshmallow his childhood dream. It was a sweet one, where everything inside was made of candy. Everyone would live in a house made of candy, undisturbed by outsiders. Humans don't need fire to live, preventing any danger. Nobody’s parents would die. There would be no tragedy where a child would be abandoned, forced into a bitter life. Indeed, no strangers disturbed Marshmallow's candy house. However, she still felt lonely when she could only play with little critters. The boy who stumbled upon the candy house, and that bear who sneaked into the kitchen for honey strangely surprised her. Marshmallow was simply overjoyed because she finally had someone to play with. Since she was worried that the boy would never return once he went to look for the flower, she immediately promised to help that boy fulfill his wish. Marshmallow succeed in obtaining the gorgeous flower, which was carefully watched by something shrouded in shadows. Of course, Marshmallow, who hated fighting and was unskilled at combat, was forced to battle in order to get the flower. At that instance, Marshmallow was unaware of what would await her at home: A large fire that would incinerate everything. Not knowing what triggered it, Marshmallow scurried back to the candy house. By then, the flames had already devoured everything. The candy house was reduced to nothing, and the boy had disappeared. What was burning turned out to be a towering, hundred plus year old tree. In the air were the cries of the trees, crackling as they burned. "Fire.......what a large fire.......how dangerous.......HOW DANGEROUS!" "How.....how? HOW DID THIS HAPPEN!!" The flower fell to the ground as Marshmallow fearfully hugged her head. The wings behind her flapped faster and faster. Suddenly, they were caught in flames, like the fire before her that turned her candy house into a crisp. "Water! Water’s here!" The boy came back holding a bucket full of water. He tossed the water at the uncontrollable flame, but it was futile. He anxiously wanted to put out the huge flame, but wasn’t aware of Marshmallow next to him, who was undergoing a change. It was only when he returned after filling his bucket with river water that he saw Marshmallow. "MARSHMALLOW! MARSHMALLOW! COME AND PUT OUT THE FIRE! THE FOREST! IT'S BURNING!" The boy walked towards Marshmallow and shook her. However, she didn't smile at him like she would before. Rather, she angrily pushed him away, and even attacked him. "MARSHMALLOW! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU!" The boy was shocked at Marshmallow's reaction. The guilt inside of him burst open, and he pleaded for forgiveness, tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Marshmallow, I'm sorry." "Before you returned, I wanted to practice cooking a dish I usually eat at home to thank you." "After I lit a fire in the stove, I didn't think that the candy house would begin to burn.......and melt........" "I, I didn't realize this.......It wasn't on purpose......." "PLEASE FORGIVE ME, MARSHMALLOW!" The boy dodged Marshmallow's attack, but how can a human even try to defend against a Food Soul's attack? The injuries on the boy's body grew, and in the end, he simply gave up defending. "I'm sorry, Marshmallow. I'll give you my life. But please, save my mother......." "This is our.......promise......!" Hearing the youth sadly scream, Marshmallow stopped attacking before the last blow. ".......Promise?" A storm suddenly came. It extinguished the forest fire, as well as Marshmallow's fury. Marshmallow had never wished to harm anyone. All she wanted was to stay in that sweet dream. After recovering her mind, she suddenly sat on the ground. Her tears, infused with rainwater, dripped onto the soil. Once she calmed down, Marshmallow picked up the flower and walked towards the youth. The young boy quivered with fear, yet he couldn't move because of his injured legs. "Don't be afraid, I wouldn't hurt you.......I was just.......extremely afraid......." "......Af-afraid?" "Fire...is very scary...." Marshmallow didn't know how to explain. Perhaps even she herself wasn't clear about it. Anger was her self-defense when she saw the fire. "This is our promise. If your mother got better, then, that would be undoubtedly sweet." She slowly placed the flower in the boy's hands and tightly gripped them. "One day, if you're still willing to come to the candy house, will you play with me?" 　 　　 Category:Food Soul Story